13 Facts About Gene Brito

Gene Herman Brito was an American football defensive end in the National Football League who played nine seasons for the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams from 1951 to 1960.

Gene Brito's father was a boxer, and he had two younger sisters.

Gene Brito attended Lincoln High School where he was a standout athlete.

Gene Brito graduated from Loyola Marymount University as a multi-sport athlete, starring in football, baseball, basketball, and track.

Gene Brito began his career as an offensive end right as he was about to turn 26, catching 45 passes in his first two seasons before being moved to defensive end in 1953.

Gene Brito was named the NFL Player of the Year by the Washington DC Touchdown Club after the 1955 season.

Gene Brito played in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders in 1954 where he was an All-conference selection in the CFL's Western Conference.

Gene Brito was selected as one of the 70 Greatest Redskins, a list compiled by the Redskins in 2002 to commemorate the 70-year anniversary of the team.

Gene Brito is one of four defensive ends on the team, along with Dexter Manley, Ron McDole and Charles Mann.

Gene Brito was a staff sergeant in the US Army and an Army paratrooper with US forces in the Pacific during World War II.

Gene Brito was elected posthumously to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Gene Brito hosted "The Gene Brito Show" which aired prior to Redskins games in the 1950s making him one of the first NFL athletes to host a show and making him the most popular Redskins of his era.

Gene Brito died on June 8,1965, of ALS at the age of 39.